Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-03-12
POKER AND LITERATURE.
How Gambling is Carried On Under
the Protection Of the Muses..

e.-~A.>-9
the Protection Of the MUSES..
TRAPS SET 10 CATCH THE UNwARY-PERS0NS MADE
MEMBERS OF CLUBS AND THEN FLEECED-A DEVICE
OF GAMEsrEBs TO EvADE THE LAw-THRTY SUCH
CLUBS SAID TO EXIST.
Speaking of the gambling clubs In the District,
Detective RAN said to STAR reporter that there
was more gambling going on here now than there
has been for several years. incorporated clubs,
he said 'whOse certificates state the object to be
for mutual intercourse, social and literary i'm
provement, can evade the law by filing their GER
uhcate OF Incorporation, and, according to a de-
ctsion rendered in club case it IS not In the power
Of the authorities to close up such rooms"
"How are the clubs Organized?" the reporter
asked.
'The same as any other" he answered, $50 far
as outward appearances are concerned Several
men hold an informal meeting, and II the club is
to be for the purpose Of gambling they decide on
constitution, which is usually very short, draw up
the articles OF Incorporation and pay dollar for
filing it with the recorder"
THE EXTENT OF THE BUSINESS
''To what extent is such business carried on?"
asked the reporter.
"Wen," he answered, 81 suppose there are about
thirty regularly incorporated clubs and about ten
OF them az are run Dy n gamblers 6S for the
these gamblers usually have out runners or
'steererS,' such as are used by buncO establish
persons who apparently have money about them,
or have some means of obtaining some, men
whose checks are as good as cash. Strangers in
the city or Intoxicated men are usually
selected as the victims. A friendly CONVEX
sation is followed by drink or two,
few minutes later the victim finds himself In a
room usually filled with tobacco smoke and foul
air, made so from tobacco, whisky and poor ven
tlation. Here the victim is invited to drink and
smoke. and then game OF poker is suggested
This just suits the invited guest whose name has
been registered as q member, and usually without
his knowledge. He is then a bona fide member OF
the club and can indulge in game OF poker with
out being 1nterfered with by the police. The
the game is finished the invited guest or rather
the new member, finds himself he knows not where.
He is SO much under the influence OF liquor that
he really is not In his right mind, and when he
comes to his senses the next morning and learns
what has happened, complaint is made, but ac-
eepSag 70 the decision OF the court we have
THEY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT IT.
The of1cer, continuing, said: "It often happens
that when a raid is made the witnesses or persons
found in the club rooms, sometimes playing poker,
upon being placed on the witness stand will swear
that they do not know when, where or how the
ized, or who the Officers OF the club are. They VIII
also swear that they never attended a meeting OF
Inc thy Eo know ANY Q, ae
cases presented before the Criminal Court are dis
missed on the grounds that the club is regularly
organized and the certificate has been filed with
the recorder"
TRAPS FOR YOUNG MEN.
The officer also mentioned another class of
organized clubs attached to cigar stores and over
saloons. ''These clubs" he said, ''1emoralized
more young men than any other evil in our city.
Boys and young men will start playing poker In
these places and it often leaoS TO something
Drinking liquor by the small is begun and the
next thing they ind themselves behind the bars,
but according TO the decision OF the court, as he
understands it. it Is impossible to break up these
places After the decision referred to was rendered
clubs began to spring up all over the city, and
scarcely day passes that some club is not
organized and the certificate OF Incorporation filed
with the recorder"
Interior Department Changes.
The following Official changes have been made